Pandora
by Ambrant Arandel
Summary: Negi is given a new responsibility that exposes the Library Club to an ancient threat. YuexNegixNodoka romance. Set after the magic world arc in the manga.
1. Prologue

**A/N: I haven't posted anything in a while so I thought people might enjoy this little blurb I dreamed up one night. I don't really consider it one of my better works, but it was still enjoyable to write. I hope you all enjoy it too. As usual, I do not own Negima.**

**Pandora**

**Prologue.**

Negi looked down at the letter and rubbed his temples in frustration. _As if I didn't have enough on my plate as it is..._

"What's that there Negi?" Konoka asked innocently behind him. The young boy mage nearly jumped out of his skin as he turned around to find his beautiful young roommate looking over his shoulder.

"Nothing!" Negi lied as quickly as he could, stuffing the opened envelope into his jacket pocket swiftly. "Just a letter from home. Look Konoka-san, I'm going to be expecting a package from my grandfather later this afternoon that will be arriving by special courier. Could you please make sure it's put up in my loft?"

"Sure Negi-kun." Konoka agreed readily. "What's in it?"

The young mage hesitated for a moment, but then decided that he'd come far enough with the girls to trust them with the knowledge of what he was to be doing. "It's a magical book. My grandfather has decided to give me an assignment as a test of my abilities. I'm actually quite excited about it, but it's going to be a very big responsibility."

"Really?" The young mage girl beamed, "How long do you have to keep it?"

"That's the problem." Negi deadpanned. "This isn't an assignment that's going to be over any time soon. Grandfather has made me guardian of the book from now on. We mages typically stand guard over powerful magical items to keep them from falling into the wrong hands. From now on my job will be to guard that book."

"I see." Konoka said seriously. "Well don't worry, as your ministra I'll make sure the book is stored away safely for you."

Negi smiled and nodded warmly. "Thank you Konoka-san, I know I can count on you."

The child prodigy turned and headed out for his staff meeting feeling a little better, he'd decide what to do with the book on a permanent basis when he returned from his staff meeting.

* * *

The library trio wandered through the dorms looking for their straying member. It was after school and nearly everyone was busy, from teacher conferences to club activities. Haruna, Yue, and Nodoka happily walked towards the room of their favorite teacher even though they knew he wouldn't be back yet.

"I think one of you still needs to do him." Haruna reasserted.

"Please Paru." The two shy girls echoed in unison. Yue was getting a little tired of the constant barrage of sexual innuendo from the girl. She wondered at how the girl could even know all the things she was recommending to them with as much time as she spent snooping into their lives, gossiping about everyone, and drawing manga.

The three finally stopped in front of Negi's door and knocked tentatively. When no one answered they softly tried the knob and peeked in, searching for their quarry. There, seated at the small table sat Konoka with her eyes fixed resolutely on a book sitting on the table in front of her.

"Konoka, we're supposed to be helping in the library today in case you forgot." Yue scolded the girl.

"I can't, I'm on a mission." The steadfast girl muttered never taking her eyes off the book.

"This isn't like that mission to learn telepathy by staring at a picture of Setsuna while chanting..." Haruna started warily.

"No silly, I'm doing this for Negi. It's my first real assignment as his ministra." Konoka shot back.

This immediately got everyone's attention as they quickly piled into the room. Negi did NOT ask much of his ministra. It was a failing of his that they were just now getting him out of. To be given a special assignment made all three jealous, romantic inclinations or not.

"Why'd he pick you?" Nodoka complained with obvious hurt in her voice.

"He didn't really pick me, I was just here when he needed me." The magical princess explained, only briefly looking up from the book. "Negi has been charged with protecting this book from here on out and I was asked to watch after it for him until he gets back from his staff meeting."

Yue relaxed and looked at the other two. "Doesn't sound like much of an assignment."

"Well, regardless, I 'm not letting this thing out of my sight until I see Negi again." The mage in training scoffed.

"Well, not to rain on your parade, but you are supposed to be helping us in the library remember?" Haruna chided the girl.

"Well I can't just leave a powerful artifact lying around so that anyone might get it, can I?" Konoka complained.

"Then bring it with you then." Yue sighed in exasperation. "We're librarians, looking after books is what we do. We'll probably be back from the library before Negi gets done with his meeting and you can give it to him then. Besides, Library Island is just the place to store dangerous magical books like that."

"I guess you're right." Konoka agreed.

"Here I'll put it in my book bag. We can take turns staring at it once we get to work. Any idea what's inside?" Haruna asked packing the book away safely.

"No idea. I couldn't open it." The young girl said as she got her coat. "I imagine whatever inside is really important though."

The three muttered agreement and then set out for their duties at Library Island, it looked like rain that day as the storm clouds began to gather.

* * *

In the dark, Nodoka turned as the old man approached her. She stared back in challenge as he walked around her examining her closely with his eyes. She didn't flinch as his withered old hand reached up to cup her chin in his palm. "Yes... yes, I think you shall do nicely... nicely indeed."


	2. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1.**

Negi sat at the table and tried to relax. The staff meeting (which turned out to be a meeting of the mage teachers and others responsible for protecting the school), droned on and on as the headmaster rattled off a list of things going on around the school that had little or nothing to do with those gathered. Staff meetings tended to be boring when their weren't aliens trying to expose magic, demons invading to take Asuna captive, and/or ancient forces of evil bent on their destruction to deal with.

"So does anyone have any questions?" The headmaster asked finally.

"Yes, can we go now?" Evangeline complained from where she was slumped over the table in an overly dramatic pose of fatalistic boredom.

The headmaster grunted and everyone gratefully dismissed from the room.

"You could try being nicer to him you know. We really should keep abreast of things even when everything seems to have calmed down for a while." Negi said as he fell into step with his student/master.

Evangeline snorted at the comment and stared at the darkening sky as they walked. "You've got something brown on your nose boy. As far as you're sticking your nose up the headmaster's rear I'd say it's probably..."

"SEN-SEI!!!!!!" Nodoka screamed as she came barreling up the sidewalk to tackle Negi headlong.

"Nodoka-san! What's wrong?" Negi said disentangling himself from his frightened pupil.

"It's Yue and the others! Something terrible has happened!" The young librarian cried. "We need you at Library Island right away!"

Negi was already running with Evangeline in tow before the girl had even finished her sentence. "What is it Nodoka-san? Is everyone alright? I haven't got my cards on me to use telepathy."

"Oh sensei, it's horrible. We went to your room looking for you and found Konoka holding on to that book that was being delivered to you. We told her to bring it with us to Library Island, but then when we got there everything went crazy." Nodoka wailed as the sky began to open up with a steady rain.

Negi was ready to swear under his breath, there was no telling what the girls had gotten themselves into this time. Evangeline was openly laughing. "Well it beats watching pick pockets around the campus."

Negi looked up to see Library Island seem to materialize into view from the mist and the rain ahead. "I should have skipped the meeting and waited for the book myself." Negi berated himself. "Grandfather said the Book of Phalerum was dangerous."

The sound of skidding feet caused Negi to turn around and see Eva rooted in place with a haunted expression on her face. "Did you say 'The Book of Phalerum'?"

Negi slowed, but Nodoka pulled on his arm relentlessly. "Please sensei, I think Yue might have been hurt."

"Come on master, we don't have much time!" Negi shouted back.

"Negi, wait! You don't know..." Evangeline called out to him as Negi crossed the threshold and disappeared into the main hall of the library.

* * *

Negi awoke with a start. He quickly looked around the strange room in confusion before jumping out of bed to realize he was only wearing his boxers. "What's going on here?!"

Negi ran to the door and threw it open. A short hallway stretched in either direction so he ran to one end looking for where Nodoka had gone. What he found instead was Evangeline. The older persona of the undying mage was standing at the sink washing her hands as the smell of tea filled the small kitchen. The older woman turned to see him standing there and smiled. "Honestly son, put some clothes on. You'll catch cold."

"Master?" The boy mage blurted in disbelief.

"Oh so you're calling me 'master' now? Don't tell me this is more of that 'mage' game you've been pretending." The whistle of the tea pot caused the woman to turn away from him. "Really son, you should try getting up this early on a weekday. Breakfast will be ready in a minute, and make sure your father is up."

Negi stepped back from the woman in disbelief when a strong hand clamped down over his head. "I'm already up sweetheart." Nagi said as he rubbed Negi's hair and sat down at the table still in his pajamas.

"Dad?"

"Last time I checked son." Nagi said happily as he took the tea Eva offered him. "You better get ready, Nodoka is coming over after breakfast and I seem to recall you said you were going to go with her to the park today. It isn't gentlemanly to break your word to young ladies son."

In shock Negi walked back to the room he woke up in and looked around. Inside were some outfits his size, and posters depicting mages covering the walls. This had gone on long enough. "_Mea Virga"_

Negi held out his hand waiting for his staff to fly to his hand, but it never appeared. "Would you please stop pretending to be a mage son?" Nagi's voice could be heard from the kitchen. "You should be more realistic and stop being so childish."

Confused the boy mage quickly dressed and returned to the kitchen wondering what was going on. _I was there at Library Island. I was following Nodoka when I yelled back at Evangeline and then I woke up in bed. Something must have happened, but what?_

"Um, Mom? Where are we?" Negi asked slowly.

Evangeline stared at him for a moment and then glanced at his father. Nagi seemed concerned as well. "We're at home son. Aren't you feeling well?"

"Fine, fine!" Negi reassured the two of them. "I'm just a little... uneasy is all."

"Ah, the jitters. Perfectly understandable." Nagi sighed with relief. "I have to say I'm proud son. Not many boys your age get to date girls five years older than they are. But don't worry, I'm sure you'll be fine."

Negi was about to say something else when the doorbell rang. Evangeline was up out of her seat in a flash. "Don't just sit there son. Go answer it. That's probably Nodoka."

Negi got up quickly and rushed to the door. He jerked it open to see Nodoka in one of her favorite little dresses looking at him shyly. "Hello, Negi."

"Nodoka-san, I am so glad to see you." The boy mage said quickly.

"I'm glad to see you too Negi." Nodoka said sweetly pecking him on the cheek. "I thought you were just going to start calling me Nodoka though. Are you ready to go to the park?"

"There you are Nodoka-chan." Eva said warmly as she came in carrying small basket. "Negi hasn't eaten yet, so I just put some extra buns and rice balls in here for the two of you."

"Thank you Mrs. Springfield." Nodoka said politely with a bow.

"You two run along now." Eva whispered into Negi's ear. "It's not often I get a day alone with your father."

Negi was blushing furiously as Nodoka took his arm and pulled him out of the house. As he walked he looked around at the small middle class neighborhood he was apparently supposed to be living in. "We're going to have such fun today."

"Nodoka-san, what is going on here. Don't you remember anything?" Negi asked the girl with him.

"Like what?" Nodoka asked innocently. "I'll admit I haven't thought of much else since you asked me out, but I don't think I've forgotten anything."

"Do you have your card on you?" Negi quickly asked.

"Sure." Nodoka said brightly pulling out a small card with her phone number on it. "I thought I gave you one already though, is that what I forgot?"

Negi just looked at her mystified. "Come here for just a moment."

Nodoka moved in close and Negi placed his hand to her forehead to read her mind. He'd done it once to Takamichi, but this time he felt nothing. "Why aren't my powers working?"

"Silly boy, are you playing around pretending to be a mage again?" Nodoka giggled. "You look cute when you do things like that."

"You hear that guys, _he looks cute when he does stuff like that_." A gruff voice said behind him.

Negi turned to see a larger boy about Nodoka's age sneering at the two of them with a couple of other boys walking behind him. "You better get out of here Daisuke."

"Or what, your new boyfriend is going to beat me up? Look at this shrimp, you need to be spending more time with a _real_ man instead of playing with little mama's boys like him." Daisuke said menacingly.

"Better get behind me Nodoka-san." Negi instructed his ministra. He didn't know what was going on, but at least he still had his martial arts to fall back on for dealing with...

"Oof." Was all he managed as he dropped to his knees from the punch to his stomach. The shot had been slow, awkward, and quite frankly something one would expect... well, from an adolescent bully sucker punching a ten year old kid. The only problem was it had worked.

Negi sucked in air desperately as Nodoka wrapped her arms around him. "You better get out of here Daisuke before I scream."

"Come on guys." Daisuke said with a snort. "Let's let the babies go crying home to their mommies."

Negi watched as the older boys strutted away like they owned the neighborhood. "Why couldn't I stop him?"

"No one's a match for Daisuke Negi. That was very foolish getting between us like that. But I was very impressed at your bravery." Nodoka said sweetly.

_Something's wrong here. I have no powers, I have no skills, what is going on here?_ "We need to find someplace private."

"There's a little cave down at the park." Nodoka said hopefully. "My... my older sister recommended it."

Negi looked at the heavily blushing girl and just sighed. It would have to do. "Let's go."

Nodoka led the boy mage to the park where all sorts of boys and girls their age were running around playing sports and having picnics together. "It's over there."

Negi followed his apparent girlfriend down a small incline into a shallow cave where a bench had been set up. Apparently it was a favorite spot for young people to enjoy themselves where prying eyes wouldn't notice. Nodoka sat down and patted the bench next to her for him to join her.

"No time for that now. I've got to find out what's blocking my powers." Negi said as he brushed past her to pick up a stick and manually start drawing a circle in the dirt. "Even if my powers are sealed, a magic circle is still a magic circle. Nodoka-san, will you please keep a look out?"

A sharp pain blurred Negi's vision for him as he fell face forward into the dirt. As he looked up with dirt all over his face he saw Nodoka standing over him with a large stick.

"I said to call me Nodoka!" The irate girl said stamping her foot. "Why won't you just let me make you HAPPY!"

Negi barely rolled aside as the girl struck the ground where he'd been laying. Negi jumped up and made a grab for the makeshift club and stood there struggling with the teenage girl. _She can't really be this strong! What's wrong, is my strength gone too?_

Negi finally wrestled the stick away from the girl as she dropped to her knees panting from the exertion. "He said the power would make you love me. He promised me. Sensei..."

Negi's head jerked up at the last word. _Sensei..._ "There is no magical power that can make someone truly love another."

"No! You just aren't trying hard enough. It's that girl Yue isn't it. You love her more than you do me!" Nodoka shrieked in fury.

"What? Yue? Where is she?!" Negi demanded.

"I'll make sure she'll never get between us again!" Nodoka bellowed holding out her hands as a plumed quill magically appeared in her hands. "Once she's gone you'll _have_ to love me."

"Nodoka-san, stop! What are you doing, where's Yue!" Negi pleaded.

"She's about to find herself in the belly of a dragon!" Nodoka crowed, holding up the quill. A sudden shriek filled the park as Negi recognized Yue's frightened voice.

"Now DIE!" Nodoka screamed.

The quill disappeared from Nodoka's grip as her arm fell limp to her side. Negi looked down in shock at his own hands still holding the branch he'd wrestled away from Nodoka. As her body fell limp at his feet his hands began to shake at the sight of her blood on the end of the stick. "My God, what have I done?"

Negi dropped to his hands and knees and crawled over to Nodoka's limp body and rolled her over. She was fortunately still alive. "Nodoka? What's going on?"

The girl's eyes fluttered open staring at Negi in horror. "You... You tried to kill me."

"Nodoka, I'm sorry, you were going to hurt Yue, I didn't know what else to do." Negi wailed to the girl.

Nodoka surged up from the ground in fury wrapping her hands around Negi's throat and sitting on his chest. "If I can't have you then NO ONE else will."

Negi struggled with the girl on top of him trying to make sense of all of it. Yue was Nodoka's best friend, why would she try to hurt her? Everything since he'd entered Library Island had been like some sort of illusion, but it was so real. Negi thought back to the previous summer when they'd gone to the magic world and what they had learned about it. Could this all be an illusion? If it was, then the person controlling it was currently on his chest trying to choke the life out of him.

Negi struggled with his assailant trying to get the upper hand, try as he might though he couldn't get her off him. "Just give up and die already. You'll never be able to escape this place as long as I'm alive. And then after you're gone I'll make a new Negi to love me."

Finally, before he could lose consciousness, the desperate young man reached up and wrapped his owns hands around the neck of the girl on top of him. Negi continued to struggle, squeezing for all he was worth until he was able to force his way up and pin the girl down. Nodoka looked up at him with hurt eyes, tears streaming down her face. "Please, sensei... I love you."

Negi closed his eyes and gritted his teeth. "You are NOT my Nodoka."

Suddenly the pressure under his hands was gone and Negi was alone inside the shallow cave. In the distance he could hear children laughing and playing as if nothing had happened. "I just... I just strangled..."

Negi wrapped his arms around his knees and rocked back and forth looking around for the girl that had just been there. All he found was a pactio card, Haruna's pactio card.

**A/N: A little dark, I know, but then Evil Nodoka is one I really despise.**


	3. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2.**

Hesitantly, Negi picked up the card and turned it over in his hands. He tried to calm himself and stop his trembling hands before gingerly lifting the card to his head.

_Haruna-san, are you there?_ Negi thought, casting his thoughts outward trying to reach his ministra.

_SENSEI! WHERE ARE YOU?!!_ Haruna's frantic mind boomed into his thoughts causing him a headache. _DON"T COME TO LIBRARY ISLAND! IT'S A TRAP! DON'T TRUST NODOKA!_

_Bit late I'm afraid. As if I'd ever abandon you girls._ Negi thought bitterly._ Please Haruna-san, calm yourself and control your thoughts you're giving me a migraine here._

_I'm sorry sensei, is this better?_ Haruna replied more calmly.

_Infinitely, now where are you?_ Negi broadcast to his ministra.

_I'm guessing I'm still in Library Island somewhere, but I have no way of knowing. Demetrius could have sent me anywhere, from the looks of this place._ Haruna thought back.

_Well if I can reach you with telepathy, you're within range of your card. I'm going to try to summon you. _Negi warned his student.

"Awesome." Haruna said in surprise as she appeared in front of Negi. "Never done that before."

"It's a useful ability of the cards. Here's yours back by the way." The young mage said giving the pactio back to his partner.

"Mine? Where's yours?" Haruna asked.

"They're in my room, along with my staff, I didn't think I'd need them for a boring staff meeting." Negi replied bitterly.

"Then how did you..." Haruna started before looking around. The girl suddenly froze, her eye falling on the bloodied stick lying where Negi had dropped it. The young artist sank to her knees with tears coming to her eyes. "I am so sorry sensei."

"Just tell me what all happened." Negi commanded gently.

"It was all my fault. We didn't know that the book was a prison for this mage named Demetrius. When we came to Library Island he burst out of the book, along with... Nodoka." Haruna explained sadly.

"Wasn't Nodoka with you?" Negi quietly asked.

"It wasn't the real Nodoka." Haruna confessed. "I had my artifact out and it was in my book bag where I put the book that Demetrius had been imprisoned in. He... he has the power to bring things to life from the pages of the books he's near, or to send someone into a book. He found a picture of Evil Nodoka that I had made for fun in my sketchbook and brought her to life. He said he couldn't send his creations far from Library Island, but using my pactio card he could send... he could send the copy of Nodoka out to capture you. She was supposed to lure you back the library where he could imprison you like he did me. He trapped me in a book, but I don't know what he did with the real Nodoka, Yue, or Konoka."

"It worked." Negi admitted appreciatively. He hated to admit it, but he'd been totally taken in. He turned to see Haruna staring at the stick again. "What's wrong?"

"Demetrius was using my artifact to power his copy of Nodoka. Without the power of the library she wouldn't have been able to go get you. Sensei, how did you get my artifact back from..."

Negi softly pulled Haruna's chin to face him. "When I didn't act the way she wanted me to the copy of Nodoka tried to kill me. It was a bit of a struggle since my powers don't seem to be working in side here. Haruna, I've known you girls long enough to figure out when the person I'm talking to isn't real. I could never hurt one of you, and even knowing it was a fake made defeating her harder than anything I've ever had to do." _I didn't know it wasn't her though when I hit her though._ Negi thought bitterly.

Haruna smiled and wrapped her arms around him, hugging him closely then. "I'm sorry sensei."

"It's not your fault. I should have stayed and waited for the book." Negi moaned.

"That wasn't what I meant." Haruna almost pouted. "I was sorry of what I had put you through for making that stupid drawing of Nodoka. I'll try to use my powers more responsibly from now on. Please don't try to start bearing all the burdens like you normally do. We only want to help Negi."

Negi smiled at the honest nature of his girls. He'd chosen very well in who he had for ministra. "Don't worry, I won't. That is as long as you don't kick yourself for what happened with the fake Nodoka. I think Evangeline said it best when she said 'it beats watching pick pockets around the campus'."

The two of them laughed together and then Negi looked around. " I think it's time we got out of here and found the other girls."

Negi quickly drew a magic circle in the dirt and started reciting the magic spell. In a flash he and his ministra found themselves standing in the rows of books scattered throughout the massive library. Looking down, Negi found what apparently had been the book he'd been trapped in, a romance novel for teenage girls.

"I think I'm going to take this home and read it. I'd like to find out if Daisuke gets his butt kicked." Negi said slipping the book into a pocket.

"Hold it." Haruna commanded stiffly, holding out her hand.

Negi pulled the book back out in confusion and handed it to his ministra. Haruna quickly pulled a stamp out of her pocket and pressed it to a card on the inside cover which she then placed in her pocket. "Due back Tuesday. Now how are we going to find Yue?"

Negi rolled his eyes as he put the book back in his pocket. "_We_ don't. _I'm_ going to go look for Yue. I need her artifact, if she has it on her, to find out more about this Demetrius character. I don't like confronting enemies blindly."

"But sensei..."

"No 'buts' Haruna-san, I have something important I need you to do. First, close off the library, I don't want any more hostages coming into this place than are already here. Then, go let the headmaster know what's going on here. Evangeline was just outside when I came in so see if she's still there. She sounded like she knew something about this book too. Finally, see if you can get my pactio cards and get the rest of the girls. This mage sounds like he's going to be powerful and I'll probably need their help. Can you handle all that?"

"Got it!" Haruna affirmed emphatically. The older girl jumped to her feet heading for the front entrance watching about carefully for any enemies as she pulled out her cell phone.

Negi nodded and then turned back to his problem at hand. How was he going to find Yue trapped somewhere in this huge library of books? Looking back the way Haruna had disappeared, Negi slapped his forehead and then reached into his pocket and pulled out his own cell phone.

Selecting his contact on his speed dial Negi held up the phone. It was worth a shot. The telephone rang for several seconds before finally a young woman's voice came on the line. "Umm, hello?"

"Yue-san, thank goodness, are you alright?" Negi said with relief.

"Yeah, sensei, I'm fine but I don't really know how I'm getting service." Yue said quickly. "They didn't have cell phones back in this time period."

It sounded like Yue might have been in the history section so Negi started off in that direction. "You never left the library Yue-san. Demetrius imprisoned you in a book somewhere. I'm trying to get to you now. Can you describe your surroundings?"

"Well, I'm at the Battle of Ishibashiyama in 1180." Yue reported confidently.

Negi stopped and looked at his cell phone dubiously. "Not that I doubt you, but are you certain? You're grades in history aren't really the best in the world. How can you tell?"

"Because I am currently standing here talking to Oba Kagechika surrounded by his samurai guards, and they'd _really_ like to know where the heck that dragon came from." Yue replied flatly. "And for the record I passed that particular quiz."

"Oh, sorry about that." Negi apologized. "I'll move a little faster."

"That would be appreciated."

"Umm, Yue-san, I'm not really familiar with Japanese history..." Negi again apologized.

"Genpei War; Second floor, aisle sixteen." Yue directed.

"On my way there now. Now here's what I want you to do..."

* * *

Yue really hoped this worked, being stuck in medieval Japan for the rest of her life wasn't something she intended on getting mixed up with. Now she just had to get out of here before the half demon, perverted monk, and demon hunter showed up to complete the picture.

"So these spirits are helping you draw the circle?" The samurai asked as Yue held the phone to her ear and tried to recreate the ritual. She really wished that Demetrius hadn't taken her card away.

"Yes, my sensei is telling me what to draw, now please step back I wouldn't want you to get crushed when the dragon in summoned." Yue lied to the 'guardian' Kagechika had sent to 'protect' her.

"And you will be able to control this dragon for my master?" The samurai continued to ask.

"Only one way to find out." Yue remarked looking at her handiwork. "If I can't it'll probably eat me."

"Was that why it was chasing you?" The samurai asked suspiciously. "And where did it go?"

"It can only be summoned for a limited amount of time, like I said I'm still studying magic." Yue pressed as she stepped into the circle. Finally, with a few last instructions from Negi she closed her cell phone and put it back in her pocket. "Here goes, you better be prepared in case this goes wrong."

The samurai stepped away and Yue recited the spell Negi had dictated to her. There was a swift flash and a jerking sensation and she found herself back at the library... several feet above the floor. Yue looked down just in time to see Negi's shocked face as she fell on him.

Yue slowly opened her eyes and found herself laying on top of Negi. Her breath caught in her throat as she looked down into his beautiful face hovering just inches below her lips. Yue jumped up to her hands and knees still covering her teacher as he came around. Struggling for something nonchalant to say she blurted the first thing that came to mind.

"How was it?" Yue asked wincing at the double entendre.

"I've seen better, but under the circumstances I'd say you'd have passed the quiz." Negi said rubbing the back of his head as he sat up. "It's pretty tough drawing a magic circle from memory, much less one that's described to you over the phone."

Yue hoped Negi didn't notice the blush on her face as she stood and helped him to stand. "I don't think Nodoka has her cell phone, so that might make it a little harder to find her."

"First we need to find out more about Demetrius. Do you have your pactio card?" Negi asked.

"No sensei, Demetrius took our cards away from us when he trapped us." Yue reported sadly.

"That's going to definitely make finding out more about the Book of Phalerum more difficult." Negi said sighing.

Yue looked down as something stirred in the back of her mind. Where had she heard that from? "Wait, maybe we don't need my artifact."

Negi looked at her like she was mad as Yue took his hand and led him toward a section on western history. "I remember reading something about a man named 'Demetrius of Phalerum'."

"You've heard of him?"

Yue stopped at the bookshelves and looked around until she found the book she wanted and then stopped. She was still holding Negi's hand. Suddenly feeling very hot, Yue demurely let go of his hand with an uncomfortable glance at his cute face. "Here it is."

Yue opened the book flipping back to the reference she found for the man she'd only ever read about.

"Why would a mage be listed in a non-magical library?" Negi wondered.

Yue's hands were shaking as she read the entry. It was impossible, but if being with Negi had taught her anything it was that sometimes unlikely circumstances could also often be true. "He's a librarian."

"What?"

"Demetrius of Phalerum, otherwise known as Demetrius Phalereus. He was a philosopher, that was how I remembered his name. He was a student of Aristotle who ruled over Athens. When he was deposed he fled Athens and eventually ended up in Alexandria, Egypt where he created the ancient library at Alexandria. One of the seven wonders of the ancient world." Yue paraphrased as she skimmed over the passage.

"So what you're saying is, that if these two men are the same person we're dealing with a mage who's over two thousand years old?!" Negi said in panic. "Let's hope it isn't the same man then. We need to know more about this book he was in."

"I'm sorry sensei, I'm not much use without my artifact." Yue apologized.

"Don't be, I have an idea for getting your artifact back." Negi said suddenly.

"How?" The young philosopher asked in shock.

"It's simple. We'll just make you another pactio card. From time to time minstras do occasionally lose their pactio cards or they are destroyed so there is a ritual for creating a new one." The mage teacher explained.

Yue suddenly started feeling very queasy. "Negi-sensei..."

"Here, I'll redraw the circle." Negi offered as he started magically creating the circle that would reaffirm their pactio. Yue watched mesmerized as the magic circle formed and began to ignite around her and her crush.

"Umm, sensei..." Yue stuttered.

"Is having to kiss me again so unpleasant?" Negi asked jovially. Then his expression became very serious as he reached out to cup her cheek in his palm. "Or is it because you've never been able to confess your feelings for me?"

Yue's breathing stopped as Negi looked deeply into her eyes. She couldn't speak, but could only stand there looking at him. Finally she managed the conjure the will to murmur. "How?"

"The dragon that appeared in the book you were banished to was conjured by Nodoka's evil clone. It was sent there to kill you because she believed that you had come between me and her." Negi told her as he drew closer.

Yue whimpered as her secret was laid bare for the only man she loved. She might as well have been standing there naked in front of him letting him look at every inch of her body. It would have felt exactly the same as much as she felt exposed at that moment. "It's because I betrayed her. When we spoke at the festival instead of encouraging your relationship with her I told you to not give her an answer until after graduation. I did it because I loved you too. I should have told you..."

Yue cried as Negi put his finger to her lips to silence her as she berated herself. He tenderly wiped the tears from her cheek and as Negi gathered her into his arms she couldn't argue, and she couldn't resist. She WANTED him to know, she WANTED to kiss him, it was simply too much for her to admit on her own to his face. As Negi's face neared her lips, Yue closed her eyes and hoped that the real Nodoka didn't hate her as much as her clone.

Negi's lips found hers gently, and as Yue melted into his embrace she felt tension leaving her body that she didn't even realize was there. As the power raced through her body, she lowered her guard enough to return his embrace, wrapping her arms around his back holding him as he loved her.

It occurred to her that the power had long faded and the newly created card had fallen to the ground while the two of them kissed. When finally Negi retreated from her lips she was ready to pass out from the need to breathe. Negi softly rested his forehead against hers and looked into her eyes. "You betrayed nothing. Yue, I know that you and Nodoka love me. Even if you've never said a word I can feel it from you when I'm near you. Right now you and Nodoka are in the exact same situation. Until you have graduated and I'm no longer your teacher, I won't be able to give either of you an answer or fully return your feelings. You are both dear to me, and I promise I _will_ give you both an answer."

Yue nodded silently as she gazed into Negi's eyes. "We'll both be waiting."

Negi smiled and released Yue from her embrace and bent down to get her card. "Now, you better start reading. We've got to find Nodoka and Konoka and get out of here."

"Right." Yue said with conviction. She felt like a great weight had been lifted from her heart and right now she could fly higher than ever before. "Let's go find Demetrius."

"I don't think that will be altogether necessary." Demetrius said as he looked at them from the end of the row of books they were between. "It seems I've already found _you_."


	4. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3.**

Negi stepped protectively in front of Yue and held out his hand. "Mea Virga!"

Magically the staff appeared at it's master's command. Negi had been becoming more powerful and Yue felt safe even with a powerful mage staring them down as long as Negi was between them.

"Where are Konoka-san and Nodoka-san?" Negi demanded.

"The two other girls you mean? Well they're much safer than you are right now I assure you." Demetrius said with a malicious grin. "My, but it seems they're teaching mages younger and younger these days. Such a handsome young little hero. Why, you remind me of a very young Diognis."

"Are you really Demetrius Phalereus?" Yue blurted.

"The only one I know of." The elderly mage said spreading his arms and giving a mock bow. "I really must thank you and your boyfriend. If you hadn't brought me here I'd have never gotten free."  
"He's not my boyfriend!" The short philosopher retorted automatically with her face red.

"Oh? How odd. Seeing the two of you kissing like that one would naturally assume you were lovers. After he killed that other girl for you after all." Demetrius sneered.

Yue felt her stomach sink into her shoes. "Sensei?"

"Don't listen to him Yue, he's trying to confuse you." Negi growled. The boy mage tightened his grip on the staff and looked like a wound spring ready to strike in the blink of an eye.

"Oh, nothing of the sort. I have always been a staunch proponent of clarity of thought and purpose. When you nearly bashed that girls brains in with a club when she tried to create that dragon to kill your love I thought 'Now THIS boy must love that girl very much to be willing to kill for her'." The old mage continued to leer. "Then strangling her in order to break free of the prison I'd placed you in, what resolve."

Negi was grinding his teeth in frustration and looked ready to murder the old man. Yue looked at Negi's back. She remembered the old man using Haruna's pactio to make the clone to send out after Negi. The only way Negi could have gotten free would have meant... "It's okay Negi-sensei. It isn't going to work Demetrius. I trust Negi-sensei with my life. He would never harm one of us."

The old man grunted. "Not working? Oh well, the tactic was more for amusement anyway. Now where were we? Oh yes, you were about to come charging forward in rage for the pain I had made you endure in killing the image of your own partner. How quaint."

Negi did charge before Yue could grab him. Logic would dictate retreating to learn more about the enemy rather than charging in headlong, but Demetrius' goading had worked better on Negi than she liked to admit. Yue quickly flipped open her book. She was going to have to read quickly.

"The Book of Phalerum." Yue commanded the magical encyclopedia. Immediately, a short section of text appeared scrolling across the pages detailing the history of the book.

_The Book of Phalerum: A magical tome so named for the arch-mage Demetrius Phalereus imprisoned within its pages. The book was created in 284 B.C. to imprison the arch-mage Demetrius Phalereus for his role in the destruction of the ancient island of Atlantis. The book is currently under the protection of Magus in training Negi Springfield._

_Well sort of..._ Yue thought bitterly as explosions were heard a few sections over. Yue placed her forehead to her book and sent her thoughts to Negi. _Sensei, this is apparently the same guy. It doesn't have anything specific on the book though._

_Okay, I'm going to try to get him talking. See what you can find on Demetrius himself. This isn't going well._ Negi replied back hurriedly.

"Why are you doing this?!" Negi demanded in the distance. Yue ran towards where the fight was raging to hear the conversation.

"What, toying with you? It's the most fun I've had in centuries boy." Demetrius chuckled as a hail of watery bolts chased Negi around, striking and freezing on impact. "You realize there's no way you can possibly beat me."

"Yeah, like I haven't heard that one before." Negi sneered. "And from more impressive opponents to boot I might add. You don't look that special."

"Oh really?" The old man replied with a raised eyebrow. Demetrius raised his arms as his body began to swell. Age seemed to fall away from him like a discarded garment as muscles rippled to life beneath his weathered skin, his short beard growing darker until is was as black as pitch. The man seemed to expand, growing nearly a foot taller and his voice booming until it echoed off the walls. "Does THIS then meet more closely to your expectations little one? Within this library my power is absolute. I have contemplated magic beyond your understanding for millennia. I ruled over the ancient world like a king! My power left a legacy for generations of mages to follow after. Your pathetic little magic world was made using MY knowledge_. I_ was the first."

Negi launched himself forward, changing into his lightning form to drill into Demetrius only to be stopped short as the now massive wizard caught his fist in his palm. "You have no idea, the power you are facing."

The blow was horrendous. One moment Negi was standing there with his magic coursing through him and the next he was sailing backwards through bookshelves, walls and anything else that got in his way.

Yue raced to where Negi had fallen finding him beneath a crater in a solid concrete wall. As the girl helped him to stand, Demetrius strolled towards them nonchalantly. "I told you, give up. I control all power while within this library. All reality bends to my will here."

"How?" Negi spat grasping his ribs as Yue helped support him.

"I was the first mage to understand the nature of existence. All things exist." Demetrius said proudly.

"Congratulations, how long did it take you to figure that one out." The young mage replied sarcastically.

"Ah sarcasm, I've missed it so." Demetrius said waving a hand in Negi's direction that knocked him and Yue off their feet.

"Perhaps a demonstration is in order." Demetrius said looking around. He quickly picked up a book and thumbed through it's pages. Then in an instant, with a flash of light there was a ninja standing between him and the two young magi.

"Recognize him? It says here he's a popular character in one of your 'television' shows." Demetrius read aloud as the ninja began to advance on the two of them.

"Nice illusion." Negi spat as he jumped up and attacked. The ninja began to spar with Negi as Demetrius looked on in amusement.

"You still don't get it do you boy. This is no illusion." Demetrius lectured as Negi drove his fist into the gut of the ninja. Blood spurt from the mouth of the fighter as he fell to the ground. "You see the power of the human mind is infinite. Everything that has ever been imagined exists somewhere in the universe. I was the first to realize this and I built the great library of Alexandria to help unlock that power. All the human thought gathered in one place in the writings of all those men. It was there I was first able to reach out into the cosmos and learn to summon forth differing realities. A perfect society was within my grasp. Anything the mind could create, if it was imaginable."

"Nonsense." Negi spat again driving towards the mage. "There are always limits."

"Not to me." Demetrius said as their surroundings shifted. Negi and Yue found themselves standing out in a meadow. Demetrius snickered as he looked around. "Look at this place. It exists only the mind of the author that created it, but in so doing he _actually_ created it somewhere in the universe. That is the power of this magical library. The strange geography is made real here by _books_ on geography. This place was made using the power that _I_ pioneered and now I am going to use it to be free again."

Negi launched himself at the mage again and Yue watched helplessly as the boy swung again and again only to miss repeatedly. "I won't give up!"

"Very well, the exercise will do me good." Demetrius reasoned with aplomb moving and weaving around Negi like he was doing calisthenics.

Yue opened her book and whispered the mage's name. Searching through the text she found the entry.

_Demetrius Phalereus: Arch-mage, born 356 B.C., ruled Athens for ten years before fleeing to Thebes and then to Alexandria where he created the great library at Alexandria. He was the student of Aristotle and the apprentice of Theophrastus his successor. The most powerful mage of his day and is credited with magical research in the existence of alternate realities. See also references on..._

Yue scanned desperately for some clue of how to get the mage back into the book, trying to find how the ancient mages could have imprisoned him in the first place. From what she had seen of his power it was difficult to believe ANYONE could overpower the mage.

As Yue searched their surroundings shifted once again, pulling them back into the library. Demetrius was laughing as Negi attempted to use nearly every trick he knew to destroy the man.

_Think, Yue, think!_ The young philosopher chided herself. _You are a librarian and philosopher too!_

_Alright let's consider this rationally. Demetrius is a philosopher, mage, and the greatest librarian in the history of mankind. How could he have been trapped in that book?_

_One. He was forced into it. Unlikely since he was the most powerful mage of his day with magical understanding far beyond his time. It would have taken so many mages that the resulting battle would have been recorded elsewhere in the history._

_Two. He was tricked. Slightly more likely, but still, due to his understanding of the manipulation of reality it would make putting one over on him extremely difficult much less being able to contain..._

Yue gasped at the only other possibility. There was one possible answer but it seemed so outlandish as to be absurd. The young librarian turned in her book to the section on Aristotle and started reading. There in the words she found what she was looking for.

The young mage apprentice jumped up and raced toward Negi and the battling Demetrius. Things weren't going very well for the boy mage and it looked like Demetrius had bloodied him up pretty badly as Negi flopped through the air to land in a tangled heap in the center of the bridge overlooking the Great Precipice. Yue ran to him hoping he was alright and got between him and the older mage.

"Stop. I will be your opponent Demetrius!" Yue shouted in challenge. She hoped she was right or else this was going to be a VERY short fight.

"Get out of the way little girl, I have business to finish with your master before I banish him into a book for all eternity. Maybe something by Ken Akamatsu perhaps." Demetrius said dismissively.

"I said that I was your opponent Demetrius, face me! I too am a philosopher." Yue repeated adamantly.

"Yue, run! You can't beat him!" Negi pleaded weakly behind her.

"He's right you know." Demetrius said smugly. "Nevertheless, how then little one do you intend to do battle with me?"

"With logic." Yue replied shortly.

Demetrius' laugh reverberated all around the library, bouncing off the walls and filling her ears. "Well then let's see what less than a score of years can teach a young girl that would escape a man of over two thousand years experience."

Yue gritted her teeth and went for broke. "You were right. We can't beat you."

Demetrius snorted and rolled his eyes at her. "You have a talent for stating the obvious."

"I'm not finished." Yue pressed. "I was looking for a way to exile you back into your book, but I couldn't find anything listed in my encyclopedia. There was no one of your day powerful enough to seal you away in a book like that, much less keep you there. That was when I began to understand. You were sealed because of the destruction of Atlantis. I then read the teachings of your master and his teacher Aristotle saying that only an educated judge could apply just decisions to any case of particular justice. And that's when I guessed it. You didn't mean to destroy Atlantis. Even after you had, there was no mage qualified to pass judgment on you, much less consign you to that book. So you did it yourself."

Yue stared at the old mage and put on her best straight face. "Master Demetrius, please return to your book."

"Why you little..." Demetrius roared.

"Enough Demetrius!" The headmaster interrupted. Demetrius whirled around to see the headmaster standing there with Evangeline, Haruna, Konoka, and Nodoka. "They've figured it out. You've lost."

Nodoka and Konoka raced to Negi's side as Yue continued to stare at Demetrius. She'd been grasping at straws, surely it wasn't going to be that easy. The mage returned to his old and withered state to look at her balefully. "The boy didn't figure it out, _she_ did."

"It doesn't matter." Konoemon asserted. "His ministra may assist him in the test, those are the rules."

"It was... a test?" Negi sputtered incredulously.

"Yes." Yue agreed. "You had absolute power over all the books here. You could have sent me or Negi into space with a thought, but you didn't. You could have taken over control of my magic book as well, but you didn't. This was a test to see if we could figure it out."

"I did take control of your book. I left enough for you to figure out what you needed to know though." Demetrius confessed. "This was a test of logic. Any fool can become powerful by straining his body to the breaking point, but it takes a true mage to use their _mind_."

"What happened?" Yue asked simply.

"I lost." Demetrius muttered.

"You know what I mean."

Demetrius looked at her morosely and then pulled up a chair to sit. "It was all my fault. The power I unlocked at Alexandria was immense. I believed I was the most brilliant mage in the world. Master Aristotle was long dead, and Master Theophrastus tried to warn me but I would not listen. I was drunken on the power I had learned to command. I could summon anything from thought to my side. I could enter the realms that had only ever been spoken of in stories. I thought I could do anything, even create... Utopia."

The old man's eyes began to water as he recollected the ancient days of myth. "I used my power to create Atlantis. An island nation built out of my own mind. I conjured it in the ocean, and set out to build the perfect society."

"What happened?" Yue asked gently.

"There is a reason that the term 'Utopia' is translated into your language as 'nowhere'. Just as existence is created with conscious thought, the power to manipulate it and maintain it is also just as _unstable_ as human thought." Demetrius lamented. "Forty seven thousand, nine hundred twenty seven souls. That's how many died that day. I was in Thebes visiting colleagues, my mind preoccupied with some new magical problem that had attracted my attention. I didn't know. _I didn't know_."

Yue calmly put a hand on the old man's shoulder as he cried. "I was there when they pulled the bodies of the children out of the sea. All those people, drowned in the middle of the ocean when their homes and land disappeared out from underneath them. Nobody knew. Nobody knew but me what my own arrogance had done. That's when I called the mages together. I had to confess my crime, and to seek atonement for what I had done. You were right, I exiled myself to the book. But when I heard of what had happened in the magic country, I knew I had to return. I had to tell you. I had to... teach you what could happen if you let your own hubris cloud your vision."

"We understand." Yue said calmly. Demetrius faded, his quiet cries growing lighter until he was gone and all that remained was a large familiar book where he once stood.

"Well done, all of you." The headmaster said solemnly as he accepted the book back from Yue. He then looked toward Negi who was looking ashamedly at Nodoka and Yue.

With a brief jerk of his head, the headmaster rounded up Haruna and Konoka and headed for the door with the book. "I'll speak with you later Negi-kun. Once you're free."

"That was amazing Yue." Nodoka said once they were alone. "You figured out how to defeat Demetrius!"

"I didn't really defeat anyone. It was just a test of our ability to think." Yue mumbled in embarrassment at the praise.

"No, Yue-san. It was a victory, and the only way we made it through was because you knew what to do. I was so bent on defeating him for what he did that I... I failed you. Both of you."

"Sensei..." The two girls whispered in unison looking at their shared crush.

Negi looked ready to cry. It was easy to forget he was only a young boy when he was fighting, teaching, and otherwise saving them and the rest of the world from harm. But underneath it all, under the power, and the wisdom beyond his years, still beat the heart of an innocent young boy. It was the thing that made their hearts both love and bleed for him when they saw him like this. Yue and Nodoka both instinctively drew near, knowing that he needed them both right now.

"Nodoka-san... I..." Negi began as tears began to form around his eyes.

Nodoka's soft touch covered his lips before he could continue. "It's okay sensei. It wasn't really me. I know you'd never hurt me."

"Master is always telling me that I try to think so much it keeps me from acting, and now I find I'm acting without thinking. Every time I think I've determined the right track, I find I've messed everything up again. I just wish I knew which path to follow." Negi cried into Nodoka's shoulder.

"Negi-sensei, you must follow both." Yue counseled her young teacher. "One of the teachings of Aristotle was that there exists what is called 'The Golden Mean' as the true path toward happiness and enlightenment. It's the middle ground between two different paths. He defines courage as the average between fear and confidence. Too much fear will lead to cowardice while too much confidence will lead to recklessness. In the same way, the correct path will often be an average of deliberation and action."

"The middle ground between two paths..." Nodoka whispered with a far away look in her eyes. Tears began to form in her eyes and before Yue knew what she was doing, Nodoka reached out to grab her arm and pull her into her embrace.

Yue balked for a moment as she was drawn into a group hug, until she felt Negi's arm encircle her waist. The three of them stood there, holding each other. Negi still seemed upset, though and it was clear that something was bothering him.

"I don't know what I'm going to do when graduation arrives." Negi confided as he bowed his head. "You say I'll never hurt you, but there's no way I'll be able to keep from it if I choose between you girls."

Nodoka bowed her head as well until it rested against Negi's forehead. From the corner of her eye she looked at Yue until she too bowed her head until the three of them all had their foreheads touching. "I have been doing a lot of thinking myself." Nodoka started. "And I've decided to confess something to the two of you. Before the summer started, I used my artifact to look into my own heart..."


	5. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4.**

"TWO girlfriends?!" Kotaro asked seriously.

"That's what she suggested." Negi affirmed as they walked toward the headmaster's office. "Personally, I'm a little scared of the whole idea."

"Seriously." Kotaro whispered as Negi's only real companion in charting the unexplored territory of the opposite gender. Negi noticed the boy shiver at the idea of having to handle both Natsumi AND Chizuru. "So, you know... what are you going to do?"

"For now? Nothing, absolutely nothing. Dating a student would be wrong, dating TWO students would be even worse." The boy mage replied. "Apparently both girls are content to wait until graduation, but I have the feeling they'll be double teaming any rivals for my affection they might have."

"Scary." Kotaro noted.

"Quite." Takamichi agreed.

Negi and Kotaro jumped straight up and turned on the older man with fear in their eyes. "Ta-ta-ta-ta-tatatata..."

"Relax Negi-kun, I'm not going to tell anyone about your relationship with your students. It looks like _you_ at least are trying to keep it professional... for the most part." Takamichi assured the boy with a chuckle. "Trust me I can understand the difficulties in having a student in love with you."

"Thanks, I appreciate it." Negi thanked his old friend.

"So what does the headmaster want with you anyway?" Kotaro asked.

"Well, he wanted a chance to speak to Demetrius after what happened at Library Island yesterday. Then I have an idea about what to do with the book since I really HAVE been given the task of guarding it, but I need to speak to him about it first." Negi said as the three men headed through the halls to their bosses' office.

Negi knocked at the door, and the three entered to see the elderly headmaster nodding as he flipped through the book. "Come in, all of you. I was just getting ready to summon you."

"Yes headmaster?" Negi asked as the three of them assembled in front of his desk.

"I have spoken with Demetrius and I have decided to leave him in your care Negi-kun. There are some that disagree about allowing a mage of his caliber within such close proximity to Library Island where he can get loose, but I think the threat is minimal." The headmaster said as he handed the book to Negi.

"You allowed this to happen didn't you." Kotaro accused the old man.

A derisive snort was the old mage's first answer to the impertinent youth, but he did nod. "Well, vigilance can only be maintained if there is some sort of threat to guard against. If we are always safe and secure then it can lead to complacency. When your grandfather approached me about testing your ability, I was hesitant, but I have been pleased with the outcome."

"Thank you headmaster, but I cannot say that I have been. That is why I have a request to make..."

* * *

Yue stalked through the halls of the library looking for her delinquent club mates. There was a lot of work to do, and Haruna, Nodoka, and even Konoka had gone missing.

Yue didn't suspect anything as having happened, but recent events had still made her cautious. Taking out her cell phone, she quickly dialed up Nodoka.

"Hello?"

"Nodoka, where are you? We've got a lot of work to do and I can't find anyone anywhere." Yue scolded her friend.

"I'm sorry Yue, something came up. Could you please do a favor for me? There's a book at the library that the headmaster wanted. Could you carry it to him? I promise I'll make it up to you." Nodoka said on the other end of the line.

"Alright, but you better not be off chasing Negi while we're supposed to be working. At least not while I'm not there." Yue said jokingly. She then searched around until she found the book that had been set aside for the headmaster and set out for his office.

When Yue arrived, she found the office was empty as well. Looking around, she decided to knock on the door to make her delivery. No answer came, so Yue timidly opened the door. "Are you in headmaster?"

The room was dark, so Yue decided to just enter, leave the book on his desk and leave. As soon as she entered the room though, darkness surrounded her and the door slammed shut behind her. Darkness filled the room, and then one lone beam of light appeared above her surrounding her in a circle of white light.

"Ministra Magi Ayase Yue. Step forward." The headmaster's voice commanded.

Yue froze for a moment, but then slowly moved forward as the light followed her.

"Right there." The headmaster ordered from somewhere in the dark.

Yue halted and strained to see into the darkness, but couldn't.

"Please activate your pactio card." The headmaster again told her from somewhere.

Yue removed her card and activated it, her clothes, book, and broom appearing in her hands and on her body. This time the headmaster appeared in the light and walked up to her carefully. "The university has been watching your actions Yue-san concerning your conduct with one of your teachers, namely Negi Springfield with whom you now hold a probationary pactio agreement. Do you acknowledge this relationship?"

Yue trembled, surely the couldn't be angry over Negi having kissed the girls or exposing his magic. The young girl steeled herself. She would not turn away and if need be she would defend Negi and his decisions. "I do."

"It is also the understanding of this faculty that you entered the magic world with Negi Springfield, during which time you became separated and during this time you became enrolled at the Ariadne Academy. The actions of your teacher having put you at great risk and peril, you followed him in the name of aiding him in seeking his father. Is this also correct?" The headmaster continued.

"It is sir." Yue confirmed.

"The faculty of this university finds this relationship unacceptable." The headmaster stated flatly.

"Headmaster, Negi is blameless, I was the one who..." Yue floundered.

"Silence!" The headmaster roared. Yue immediately fell silent as the old mage held out his hand over her. The glow of a magic circle slowly illuminated the circle of light she was standing in and Yue watched in horror as her magical items faded from existence. The frightened girl looked up to see her card appear in the air before the headmaster. The old mage looked at the card critically and then watched as it disappeared in a flash of flame. "We find these artifacts to be highly inappropriate for one such as yourself to possess. Therefore if you are prepared to hear my judgment, I will release Negi Springfield from his responsibility. Do you agree?"

It had come down to this. She was going to have her memory erased, or else Negi was going to be an ermine. Yue wanted to learn magic more than anything else, but Negi was more important to her. "I will accept and do anything if it helps Negi-sensei."

Konoemon looked down on her and studied her carefully. "Then my decision is made. I find you... worthy."

Yue looked up in shock at the old mage as the light seemed to dim and Yue was finally able to see her friends and all of Negi's partners gathered around the circle along with Takamichi, Kotaro, and Evangeline. Negi stepped forward into the light by her side. He was wearing a modest robe with his staff by his side.

"Negi Springfield, as the teacher of your Ministra Magi Ayase Yue, do you concur that she has performed to the utmost of her ability and do you now relinquish your responsibility as her teacher?" The headmaster intoned formally.

"I do sir." Negi reported happily.

"Very well, then I believe a modification of your pactio card is then in order." Konoemon said holding out his hand as a pactio card appeared before him. Yue watched as robes the same as Negi's, her book, and a staff appeared around her.

"From this day forward Ministra Magi Ayase Yue, you are no longer an apprentice under Negi Springfield. It is with great privilege and pride that I elevate you to the rank of Magi-in-training. While you will still remain within Negi's class as his student, from this day forward you will take your place at his side and the other magic teachers in the defense and duties of this school as an equal." The dean intoned.

Tears were starting to swell in Yue's eyes as she looked to Negi at her side. "I guess from now on, you'll be able to call me Negi-senpai."

"I'll still call you Negi-sensei in class." Yue whispered.

"Now repeat after me, Yue-chan." The headmaster said kindly. Yue listened as he recited what first sounded like a spell, but was some sort of oath. He then nodded to her to begin.

Yue cleared her throat and tried to steady her nerves as she recited her own oath. "I am a mage. In my profession I take deep pride. To it, I owe solemn obligations. Since the Stone Age, mages have vitalized and turned to practical uses the principles of magic and the means of the arcane. Were it not for this heritage of accumulated experience, my efforts would be feeble. As a mage, I Ayase Yue pledge to practice integrity and fair dealing, tolerance and respect; and to uphold devotion to the standards and the dignity of my profession conscious always that my skill carries with it the obligation to serve humanity. As a mage I will practice none but honest enterprises. When needed, my skill and knowledge shall be given without reservation for the public good. In the performance of duty and in fidelity to my profession I will give my utmost."

When Yue finished the oath, all the girls came running forward to congratulate her.

"I am so jealous Yue, you were the first one to make it where you are." Nodoka whispered as she hugged her.

"I won't lose to you Yue." Konoka said as well as she hugged her too. "I'm going to train hard and catch up to you."

"Here kid, you've earned it." Evangeline said tossing her a small satchel. "It's a catalyst bag. I put few in there for you to play with too."

"Thank you." Yue stammered.

"Don't think this makes you better than me." Kotaro threatened. "Get stronger and I'll beat you too soon as I get done with Negi."

"Good luck with that." Yue whispered to herself as she continued to return the thanks of all her friends who had attended her surprise ceremony.

"Let's go have a party to celebrate." Konoka suggested to the other girls.

Cheers of agreement went up and pretty soon the happy girls went running off to see what mischief they could get into in the name of having a good time. Yue followed them out to the front steps of the building before the headmaster stopped her.

"A moment Yue-chan." The old headmaster, and her new boss, said as he waved her over to where Negi, Kotaro, and Takamichi stood. "Now that you are officially recognized as being part of the staff here it is time for me to give you your first assignment."

Yue gulped audibly as Negi walked up to her and held out the Book of Phalerum. "Yue-san, I want you to take over as the guardian of this book."

"You want me to... to... but, that's a very powerful artifact. I can't just..." Yue flustered.

"You're a librarian." Negi noted happily. "Taking care of books is what you do."

"Negi-kun believes, and I am in agreement, that you above all others is uniquely qualified to be the keeper of this book. Demetrius' knowledge is invaluable to the magic community, because most of it was lost when the library at Alexandria was burned. Not only his own magical research, but the knowledge of his teachers has been lost to history as well. We believe that there is no one better suited to opening a discourse with this philosophical librarian, than another philosophical librarian." The headmaster explained.

"Couldn't understand a word he was saying could you." Yue accused.

"Not a one." The headmaster confirmed happily.

"We get that a lot." Yue said reverentially taking the book. In her hands was over two thousand years worth of philosophy long forgotten to the human mind as well as magical secrets that modern mages could barely fathom. "I will gladly accept this post that I have been given."

"You may release him in the library when you wish." The headmaster continued. "The old boy needs to get out more. His mobility is limited to that place so it won't be any major threat, just keep him out of the adult section will you?"

Yue nodded with another tear coming to her eye. She couldn't control it anymore, she just had to do it. Yue wrapped her arms around the headmaster and hugged him as hard as she dared and then pecked Negi chastely on the cheek before running off after her friends.

* * *

Negi watched Yue go and finally breathed a sigh of relief. "I'm glad that's over."

"Quite." The headmaster agreed.

"Why do you let girls kiss you like that man, it makes you look like a wimp." Kotaro jibed at Negi.

"Better her than the alternative." Negi replied happily.

"What do you mean 'the alternative'?" Kotaro asked slowly.

"Well when I fought Demetrius, he said I looked heroic and compared me to some guy named Diognis. I went and looked up who this guy was to see what he meant and it scared me." Negi said shivering.

"What did you find?" Kotaro pressed.

"Diognis was the prettiest young boy in Athens... and was Demetrius' lover." Negi said with a shiver.

"You mean Demetrius is..." Kotaro asked aghast.

"Yep." Negi affirmed flatly.

"And he likes little..." He continued.

"The younger the better." Negi confirmed.

"Think Yue will ever figure out the only reason you asked for her promotion was so you could palm off your custodianship of the book on her?" Takamichi asked.

"Man I hope not." Negi said seriously.

Kotaro nodded somberly looking at the direction Yue had gone. He then turned and dove head first into the bush next to the sidewalk and started rolling in the mud for all he was worth.

"Kotaro, what are you doing?" Takamichi asked quizzically.

"Chizu-nee and Natsumi said that if I came back to the room covered in mud and dirt from fighting one more time they were both going to haul me down to the baths and scrub me from head to toe." Kotaro huffed getting out of the bushes and heading resolutely towards to dorms.

The three men watched him go and then looked at each other.

"I'm going to see if Asuna-chan needs any help with the party." Takamichi said quickly heading off.

"I'm going to go find an excuse to bury my face in Shizuna-sensei's cleavage again." The headmaster said hobbling away.

"I think Chachamaru needs winding." Negi said finally setting out as well.

**A/N: And there you have it. I hope you've enjoyed my little story. I hope there aren't too many errors. With my work schedule, I seldom get much opportunity to write anymore much less edit these things as much as I'd like. Everyone have fun!**


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